While promoting ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Modi Government, the Healthcare Federation of India (Nathealth) in collaboration with Indian Medical Association (IMA) released “Code of Ethics” for the medical industry.
According to the Anjan Bose, secretary general of Nathealth, there is trust deficit in the medical sector such as big hospitals do not trust small hospitals, lack of trust between laboratory with hospitals and rapid degradation of the image of healthcare system in India. To have the optimum response in the healthcare, work should be done together and trust should be built, and only then healthcare system can reach over $280 billion by 2025.
Talking to The Pioneer, Bose said: “Trust deficit and unethical practices being a major issue of healthcare industry. Therefore, we approached IMA for the self-regulatory code of ethics in the healthcare system and they appreciated our idea.”
“lower financing and expenditure on healthcare, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and dual diseases burden are key challenges faced by the sector”, said Bose. Indian healthcare should take idea from foreign countries medical sector such as US, China, Netherland which has best medical sector etc, he added.
While the country’s health are system is multi-tired, only 5 per cent of GDP is spend on health sector. 20 per cent comes from Government and 80 percent comes from private sector. In our country, medical technology cost in setting up a tertiary care hospital amounts to 30-40 per cent. Cost of medical technology/equipment/devices is 20-25 per cent of total healthcare cost for a patient.
Hospitals such as AIIMS, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER, Chandigarh) and JIPMER | Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical (Puducherry) have become the model for providing medical aid to people in India, said Secretary General of NATHEAlTH.
“We have shortage of beds, doctors and medical, equipment, medicines, hospitals in our country. The development should be at the ground level with social developments and medical technology. As health is a State subject, therefore, State Governments should be active in funding appropriately and carefully,” he said adding that Southern States such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pardesh have best practices of medical sector and other State Governments should learn from them with more trust between private and Government sector.
Meanwhile, Dr KK Aggarwal, IMA honorary secretary general, explained, “The Code is intended to provide guidance to the Members as regards their conduct and interactions with patients/ end users, and other stakeholders so as to ensure that their daily activities, efforts and interactions are undertaken in an ethical, honest manner within the parameters of law for the advancement of healthcare and improved patient care in India.”